DILP 2026

The Defence Industry Leadership Program (DILP) has played a pivotal role in nurturing the growth of more than 370 defence industry leaders since its establishment in 2010.

Within the context of the rapidly evolving Australian defence landscape, the demand for adept, forward-looking, and collaborative leadership is paramount. Such leaders are essential to effectively steer through challenges, welcome innovation, and secure industry's role in both national security and economic prosperity.

With a focus on addressing the workforce development requirements of our aspiring upcoming leaders, the Defence Industry Leadership Program is highly regarded as the flagship leadership program for Australia's defence industry.

DILP is a nine-month leadership program co-ordinated and delivered by the Defence Teaming Centre (DTC) in collaboration with registered training provider, SkillsLab (a Tetra Tech company). This comprehensive program is designed to nurture and elevate your core leadership abilities within the distinctive context of Australia's defence industry.

Through face-to-face workshops, and experiential learning, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to effectively lead and manage multi-party collaborations and understand the complexity of the defence industry. You will gain proficiency in self-leadership and self-awareness and become comfortable applying adaptive leadership in challenging environments.

You will hear presentations from senior Defence/industry specialists, engage with industry through site visits and build highly valuable relationships with other participants on the course.

Upon completion of the course graduates will receive, through our partner Skills Lab, a nationally recognised Diploma of Leadership and Management.

"Compared to other leadership programs, DILP was much more practical, offered real-world experiences, facilitated formal and informal opportunities to network, and also provided course material and relevant readings to help reinforce the learnings." - Allan Mankavil, Boeing Defence Australia

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

August

The Leadership Accelerator has been developed to specifically address and negate the barriers to leadership that are known to exist for women in STEM and Security professions.

The Emerging Leaders Program supports early career women and emerging female leaders in STEM and Security Professions to build a strong foundation for enduring leadership.

September

Register your interest to join Earth observation leaders and peers for a complimentary event focused on learning, networking, and inspiration in Bali, Indonesia.

VetX25 Expo brings together veteran entrepreneurs, corporate procurement professionals, and government leaders for an unparalleled day of networking, professional development, and business opportunities.

Sydney is gearing up to host the 76th International Astronautical Congress, a space event, organised by the International Astronautical Federation.

October

ADM's Women in Defence Awards celebrate talented, determined, successful women who make a positive impact in the defence business arena, as members of Defence industry, Australian Public Service or in uniform.

An inspiring full-day event of meaningful speaking sessions, panel discussions, and tangible tools workshops.

November

The only maritime exposition of its kind within the Indo Pacific region, Indo Pacific is a critical platform for engagement where customer and industry connect and commercial maritime and naval defence suppliers promote their capabilities to decision-makers from around the world.

Redefining Security: Navigating the Future of AI, Robotics & Autonomous Systems

MilCIS is a unique opportunity for those investing in government and military communications and information systems.